Foster City to expand teen center

"We anticipate them starting construction in May. It should take 390 days," Miller said.

It's a short time to wait for something that's been in the making for the last 10 years. The city's Youth Advisory Committee advocated for the center in 1998 and in 1999 the Vibe was opened at the site of the old library at 610 Foster City Blvd. Vibe later moved to modular buildings at Leo J. Ryan Park and moved again to modular buildings at 670 Shell Blvd., where it is now.

Giving the successful teen center a permanent home for decades of future Foster City teens was a top priority for the city, Miller said.

The center sees approximately 50 teens a day and more than 100 on Fridays, when it holds band nights and dinners.

"It's just good when kids don't have any place to go. It's cool," said 11-year-old Ezera Motley-Hurn, who was at the center yesterday.

Motley-Hurn likes the three televisions and video consoles, the outdoor basketball court and Friday night dinner. He also likes the counselors at the center, he said.

The counselors at the Vibe were once teen visitors.

Counselor Christine Peralta, 19, remembers visiting VIBE during a summer program when it was still at the old library site. She remembers being told a new building was in the works many years ago. The council's decision to finally fund a permanent home for Vibe is welcome news, she said.

Now she's trying to do for the young ones what was once done for her by listening to their problems.

"It taught me the importance of having a good shoulder to cry on," Peralta said.

Another counselor, 18-year-old Nabil Butros, credits Vibe for keeping him out of trouble when he was young.

"Honestly, if this wasn't open [when I was younger], I'd be out doing who knows what," Butros said.

Now Butros is helping kids like Motley-Hurn, who may have yet to have a grasp of the importance of good role models but can certainly appreciate the physical place he calls Vibe.

"We have to be thankful, this is a pretty nice place. I've never heard anyone complain," Motley-Hurn said.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.